Refrigerating apparatus



1935. E. HEITMAN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed July 11, 1952 INVENTOR. 7N0 BY W 616m ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 27, 1935 PATENT OFFICE 2.012.308 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Edward Heitman,

poration of Michigan Detroit, Mich assignor to Kelvinator Corporation,

Detroit, Mich, a cor- Application July 11, 1932, Serial No. 621,895

10 Claims. (Cl. 62-95) This invention relates ratus.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improved arrangement of a refrigerating system within acabinet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable refrigerating apparatus having a cabinet within which a refrigerating system is compactly arranged in a manner so as to utilize a maximum of cabinet space for the storage of foods.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved refrigerant cooling element for refrigerating apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a refrigerant cooling element having a sleeve providing a chamber for the storage of food, and to provide in a new and improved manner for a heat retaining medium to hold said chamber at a low temperature during periods when the compressor is inoperative.

Another object of the invention is to provide a refrigerant cooling element which is economical to manufacture, efiicient in operation and one in which the parts are easily assembled or disassembled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a refrigerant cooling element having a sleeve for storing foods and having a chamber for a eutectic mixture and to provide a refrigerant conduit encircling said sleeve and in good thermal contact with said eutectic mixture.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following description and by reference to the accompanying drawing. a

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view shown in perspective of a refrigerating'apparatus embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view shown partly in cross section and partly in elevation of the refrigerating apparatus embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a view taken in the direction of line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in cross section taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, numeral 20 designates in general a substantially rectangular shaped refrigerator cabinet having a refrigerating compartment 2| and a machine compartment to refrigerating appa- 23. The cabinet is constructed of insulated walls including side walls 25, end walls 26, a bottom wall 21 and a removable top wall 28. The top wall 28 is provided in this instance with two substantially rectangular openings 30 and 3| leading into the compartment 2|. Movable closure members 32 and 33 are provided for closing the openings and as shown are hinged so as to swing open in opposite directions. 6

The machine compartment 23 preferably occupies a portion of the space at the bottom of the cabinet 20, and at one end thereof. A horizontally extending insulated wall- 35 and a vertically extending-insulated wall 36 are arranged 10 within the cabinet to cooperate with one another and with the bottom, end and side "walls of the cabinet to provide the machine compartment 23. As shown in Fig. 2 the horizontally disposed bottom wall 2'! of the cabinet serves as the bottom wall of the machine compartment 23 and of the compartment 2|. The side and end walls of the machine compartment are formed by a removable closure member 31 in which louvered openings 38 are provided to admit air to the machine compartment. Thus within'the confines of a symmetrically shaped cabinet are provided the compartments 2| and 23 insulated from one another.

A refrigerating system is arranged within the cabinet and comprises in general a refrigerant condensing element fill disposed within the ma-- chine compartment 23 and two refrigerant cooling elements 42 and 43 disposed within compartment 2|. While two of such cooling elements are shown it will be understood that the cabinet may be made larger to accommodate three or more cooling elements if desired.

In order to utilize all of the available cabinet space for cooling purposes and to also provide a neat and compact apparatus, the cooling element 42 is made smaller than the cooling element 43 so that it may occupy the oflset space within compartment 2| above the machine compartment 23 as shown. The cooling element 42 may be supported on the horizontal wall 35. The cooling element 43 extends the full depth of the compartment 2| and is supported on the bottom wall 21 of the cabinet.

The refrigerant condensing element 40 comprises in general a motor-compressor unit pref- 45 erably enclosed in a sealed casing 45, a condenser 46 and a high side float mechanism 41 arranged within the machine compartment in the same vertical plane with the cooling element 42 and supported on the bottom wall 21. The condenser is preferably air cooled and for this purpose a fan (not shown) driven by the motor-compressor unit is provided. This fan also circulates air within the machine compartment 23 to remove heat generated therewithin.

and 53 the conduits terminate in a refrigerant accumulator 5| disposed within the cabinet.

The sleeves 50 and 53 are preferably formed of sheet metal and substantially rectangular in shape. Within the sleeves, ice cream, desserts, package goods and the like may be stored to be kept at low temperature. The top portions of the sleeves 50 and 53 extend part way into the rectangular openings and 3| in the top removable wall 28 to prevent air from entering the compartment 2| when the doors 32 and 33 are opened. In order to obtain the desired temperature within the food compartment with a minimum of work done by the motor-compressor unit and to also provide for retaining said temperature for a considerable period of time in case the motor-compressor becomes inoperative due to failure of the electric current, I provide chambers on the outer side walls of the sleeves for containing a heat retaining medium. These chambers are provided for both cooling elements, the parts and construction being similar, so that a description of one of the cooling elements is deemed sufllcient. Referring to the cooling element 42, a plurality of panshaped members 60, preferably formed of sheet metal, is secured to the outer side walls of the sleeve 50 such as by welding. Each of these panshaped members is provided on its outer surface with a plurality of indented or bent portions 65. Thus when the pan-shaped members are secured to the sleeve they cooperate therewith to form chambers 66. The pan-shaped members are securely welded about the edges to the sleeves to provide the chambers 66 fluid tight.

The heat retaining medium is contained within the chambers 66 and may be of any suitable eutectic or cryohydrate mixture having the characteristic of retaining heat for considerable periods of time. Disposed within the indented portions and in good thermal contact with the heat retaining medium is the refrigerant conduit 52. Thus during the process of evaporation of the refrigerant in the conduit 52, heat is absorbed from the food compartment and from the eutectic, or cryohydrate mixture so that if the electric current fails, the sleeves and compartment 2| will be kept at a low temperature for a considerable period of time by the heat retaining medium. With this construction it will also be seen that the conduit 52 may be easily assembled with or disassembled from the sleeve.

Preferably the system is intermittently operated for maintaining substantially constant temperatures in the food storage chambers. Any suitable means such as a thermostat (not shown) responsive to changes in temperature in the food storage chambers may be used for connecting or disconnecting the electric motor to the source of supply. On the off phase of the system the temperature within the food compartments will be maintained for a considerable period of time by the eutectic mixture in the chambers 66. Consequently the food storage chambers are maintained at the desired temperature with a minimum of work done by the motor-compressor unit, resulting in an economically operated system.

In operation, gaseous refrigerant is withdrawn from the top of the refrigerant accumulator 5| by the compressor which compresses the gas and delivers it to the condenser to be liquefied. The

liquid refrigerant is then delivered to the high side float mechanism 41 and from here is delivered to the conduits 52 and 54 to be again circulated thereabout and evaporated.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a new and improved arrangement of refrigerating units within a cabinet so as to utilize the maximum of available cabinet space for cooling elements, having sleeves for storing food. It will also be appreciated that this has been accomplished within a neat and symmetrically shaped cabinet. Moreover, Ihave provided a new and improved type of cooling element in which a sleeve for storing food is provided with a plurality of chambers for a heat retaining medium and a refrigerant circulating conduit is arranged in good thermal contact with the heat retaining medium, increasing the efficiency of the apparatus as a whole. By the arrangement of the conduit and the sleeve, not only a more emcient apparatus results, but the manufacture and assembly of the conduit and sleeve is facilitated.

Although only a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated, and that form described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A refrigerant evaporating element comprising a sleeve, means cooperating with said sleeve for providing a chamber for a heat absorbing medium and being provided with indented portions on its outer surface, and a refrigerant conduit disposed in said idented portions in thermal contact with said heat. absorbing medium.

2. A refrigerant evaporating element comprising a sleeve, a substantially flat pan-shaped member secured to said sleeve and cooperating there-- with for providing a chamber for an eutectic mixture and being provided with indented portions on its outer surface, and a refrigerant conduit disposed in said indented portions in heat exchange relation with said eutectic mixture.

3. A refrigerant evaporating element comprising a substantially rectangular shaped sleeve, a plurality of substantially flat pan-shaped members secured to the sides of said sleeve and cooperating therewith for providing a plurality of chambers for a heat absorbing medium and being provided with indented portions on their outer surfaces, a refrigerant conduit disposed in said indented portions in heat conductive relation with said heat absorbing medium.

4. A cooling element for refrigerating apparatus comprising a sheet metal member, a second sheet metal member cooperating with said first member for providing a chamber for a heat absorbing medium and being provided with an indented portion, and a refrigerant conduit disposed in said indented portion.

5. A cooling element for refrigerating apparatus comprising a sheet metal member, means cooperating with said member for providing ducts for containing a heat absorbing medium and being provided with indented portions on its outer surface, and a conduit disposed in said indented portions in heat transfer relation with said heat absorbing medium.

6. A cooling element for refrigerating apparatus comprising a single sheet metal sleeve substantially rectangular in shape, pan shaped members secured to the sides of said sleeve and cooperating therewith for providing a plurality of chambers for a heat absorbing medium, each pan-shaped member being provided with indented portions on its outer surface, and a refrigerant conduit disposed in said indentations and encircling said members in heat conductive relation with said heat absorbing medium.

7. A cooling element for refrigerating apparatus comprising a sleeve member provided with ducts for a. heat absorbing medium and being provided with indented portions on its outer surface, and a refrigerant conduit disposed in said indented portions in thermal contact with said heat absorbing medium.

8. A cooling element for refrigerating apparatus'comprising a sleeve having a chamber for a heat absorbing medium and being provided with an indented portion on its outer surface, and a refrigerant conduit disposed in said indented por tion in heat conductive relation with said heat absorbing medium.

9. A cooling element for refrigerating apparatus comprising a pair of sheet metal members secured together in spaced relation to provide a chamber therebetween, one of said members being provided with a bent portion on its outer surface and a refrigerant conduit associated with said bent portion on the exterior side thereof.

10. A cooling element for refrigerating apparatus comprising two members secured together in spaced relation to provide a chamber therebetween, one of said members having an inwardly formed portion on its exterior surface, and a refrigerant conduit rigidly secured to said member in said inwardly formed portion.

EDWARD HEITMAN. 

